Along The Way
by tidbit2008
Summary: A series of stand-alone Mac/Stella drabbles and ficlets.
1. Heavy Hearts In Hand

**Disclaimer For All Chapters:** I own nothing but my inspiration.

**Title:** Heavy Hearts In Hand  
**Summary:** A rainy crime scene.  
**

* * *

**

The sound of raindrops on the ground breaks the silence.

They walk to the scene, and go to work without discussion. The little girl's body has already been moved. The rest of their evidence is floating away as the earth washes away the signs of the horror it's witnessed. They gather what they can and walk back to the car still in grim silence.

The weight of the world falls heavy on days like this. It's a scary place and they can't even catch a break for a little girl who did nothing wrong.

Stella slides her hand into Mac's.


	2. A Little Honesty

**Title:** A Little Honesty  
**Summary:** Stella and some thoughts.

* * *

At least, if nothing else, she's able to be honest with herself. She's able to admit to herself that she is in love with Mac Taylor.

The thing is she doesn't know when or how it happened.

Somewhere between Claire's funeral when she cried almost as much as he couldn't or the months that followed when she wouldn't let him push her away. Between long hours at the office, lots of cups of coffee and stolen moments in the middle of big cases to remind each other to breathe. Between Frankie and the pieces he broke that Mac helped her pick back up. Somewhere in between deaths, fires, and moving into new apartments she fell in love with her best friend.

Maybe it was little of everything or maybe it had absolutely nothing to do with any of it. Maybe she's just a masochist who falls in love with men she can't have. He's her boss and her best friend and if he felt the same way, surely he'd have let her know by now? But then again, this _is_ Mac, so maybe not?

It feels like too much to hope for and too little all at the same time.


	3. What Feels Right

**Title:** What Feels Right  
**Summary:** Fluffy little double drabble. Assume Mac and Stella have been dating a few weeks(or months or whatever makes you happy). If you want to think of it as set in current canon, ignore most of 5x11 "Forbidden Fruit." Written for Lisa.  


* * *

He walked up behind her and brought his hand to her waist. Leaning in, he whispered, "You look beautiful."

A smile crept onto Stella's face. "Compliments will get you everywhere."

Mac smiled. "Will they get me a dance?"

Stella turned her head to look at him. "I thought you'd never ask."

He led her out to the dance floor and pulled her in close as the sounds of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" floated around them.

For the most part, Mac was a man of few regrets when it came to his personal life. He wished he'd gotten up the courage to ask his high school crush to go to the Senior Prom with him, that he'd had kids with Claire, and that he'd opened his eyes sooner to his feelings for Stella.

Maybe it was the season, or the wine, or the kiss they'd shared earlier under the mistletoe even though everyone was watching, but as they swayed in time with the music he was caught for the millionth time that night thinking about how right it felt to be there with her.

Stella smiled at him, and the corners of Mac's lips curled. Yes, this was right.


	4. I Do

**Title: **I Do  
**Summary: **Post 5x17 "Green Piece."**  
**

* * *

"So that was something today."

"What was?" Mac asked, as he pulled back the comforter on his bed. Turning around, he saw Stella had finished brushing her teeth.

"Danny. Lindsay. Getting married." She said and kinked an eyebrow as if he should have known. "I didn't think it would be much longer with the baby, but I still wasn't sure if Danny'd ever get up the courage." She paused, laughing. "I actually thought Lindsay might have to drag _him_ to the altar."

Mac smiled. "You know, that wouldn't have surprised me a bit." He shook his head and walked to the bathroom, stopping at the doorframe. Leaning against it, he watched Stella take off her make up and wondered why she even put it on. "I kinda gave him a nudge today."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He was afraid he would fail Lindsay. I told him to try to be the best version of himself; that's all she could ask of him."

"Pretty wise advice." She said as she dried off her face and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Stepping up behind her, he slid his arms around her waist. "You think so?"

"Yeah," she said, softly smiling, "I do."


	5. Love or Future

**Title:** Love or Future  
**Summary:** A bit of fluff..

* * *

They don't say things like love or future.

If you say those words, then it's real.

Which is silly. Of course it's real. But somehow those words mean telling people. They mean talking about how everything has changed, about how it's "complicated."

So while more and more of her stuff is appearing at his apartment, and while he's surprised if she doesn't come over after work, they don't say words like love. Or future.

Most of the time it's, "I miss you."

Followed by, "But I'm right here."

And, "I know," whispered as he wraps his arms tighter around her.


	6. Seeing Red

**Title:** Seeing Red  
**Summary:** Mac gets hit over the head. 2nd person. For Lisa.

* * *

Your head. Oh your head _hurts_.

Why?

You see red.

Blurry red on your hand.

What?

Head.

Red.

Focus.

Remember.

Suspect. And there was a bat.

Oh god your head. Your head feels like.

Like you got hit over the head.

Man your head is pounding, but you look at the red on your hand again. Blood.

In the distance there's, _"Mac!"_

You try to form words and manage to softly call out, "Over here."

Then there are feet coming towards you.

You make out her silhouette as the world starts coming back into focus.

She's kneeling down by you and her hand goes to the side of your head.

"Oh man that must hurt."

You start to laugh, but somehow the attempt gets fumbled into a bit of a cough.

"No kidding."

"What did he have?"

"Bat."

"Ahh... yeah I think you're in for some stitches."

God. No. Not the hospital. "No, no I'll be alright."

She raises her eyebrow at you. "You were unconscious for at least five minutes. There's no talking your way out of this one."

_Oy._ "No really, I'm fine," you say as you try to sit up, before falling back as the world starts to spin again.

"Whoah there buddy." She laughs. "Just sit tight, I can hear the ambulance."

You sigh. "I really am fine, now that you're here."

She smiles and rolls her eyes. Her hand finds yours. "Tell you what, I'll ride in the ambulance with you, okay?"

She squeezes your hand.

"Okay."


	7. A Familiar Scene

**Title:** A Familiar Scene  
**Summary:** Stella wakes up in the hospital, again. For Lisa.

* * *

Stella stirs to the sounds of beeps (much more familiar than she cares to admit), and to Mac and the doctor's soft whispers in her doorway.

The lights are bright and her body aches; she groans, trying to sit up. Before she can achieve any progress (because really, it's just another bullet wound to add to her collection of scars), Mac's at her side.

"Now you know better than that," he says softly and resumes (she's assuming here, because this is Mac, after all) his station in the chair beside her.

She sighs, knowing she won't win (and kind of realizing she's not gonna make it anywhere anyhow). "What'd the doctor say?"

"It was a through and through; you'll be back in no time. The aching is mostly from the fall down the stairs."

Stella nods then grimaces, her head pounding. "How long was I out for?"

Mac covers her hand with his. "Just long enough to worry us. About half a day."

"Well that explains why you look like hell."

He grins. (He thinks he's so cute.) "Yeah well, you nearly dying seems to have that affect on me."

She smiles. (The problem of course being that he is.)


	8. Someday

**Title:** Someday  
**Summary:** Stella finds a note.  
**Spoilers:** Technically, for 7x01. But I'm not sure I'd call it a spoiler at this point because everyone and their mother has known for over a month.  


* * *

She didn't find the note until she was half way through unpacking in her new city. He managed to slip it into a box of kitchen supplies somehow. She remembered the day he'd been over to help her pack. They hadn't talked much that day, simply working in tandem silence.

She knew he didn't want her to go. He knew he couldn't make her stay. Their final standoff would be the only one that really mattered in the end.

"_When you're ready to stop running, I'll be here."_

A tear slid down her cheek as she refolded the paper.

_Someday._


End file.
